The side of Jesus that I noticed this morning

The Catholic church is always full of pomp and pageantry when we have special days. Today is Palm Sunday. It is about palm leaves, procession and reading of the Passion. It is also called Passion Sunday. Passion is about going back to the time when Jesus was about to be crucified and died.

It is a an elaborate reading with four persons doing the whole thing. A narrator, a ‘Jesus’ which is done by the priest, another one who is Pilate and etc and us, the whole church.

So, I have heard that many times over. Been there, done that. I couldn’t get the sombre mood this morning. But something struck me. How obnoxious Jesus was. He has a way of answering questions. And I love that.

‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.

Jesus replied, ‘It is you who say it.’

‘The words are your own’ answered Jesus

(copied from http://universalis.com/20110417/mass.htm )

It was so clear to me that Jesus used this approach three times. I just had to take out a little piece of paper and jot it down. It is like a revelation to me. A side of Jesus that I have not notice before.

When it comes to the Passion, all the time I have wondered how could Jesus take everything so calmly. Sometimes, it boggles me why Christians can be so passionate with the ‘Jesus died for us on the cross’. Sometimes, that fact made me sad.

But today, the three times when Jesus stubbornly told off the betrayers gave me a glimpse of the Man who is so cool and yet able to snub them. Such response always make people nervous. In fact, I like to use it when I am arguing with people.

Nothing like the satisfaction to throw people off by making them wonder if they are right or wrong or I am right or wrong. This always make them speechless and most will lose their confidence and they will walk away feeling incomplete and dissatisfied.

Who would have thought that going to church, listening to the Passion reading would actually make me even more obnoxious instead of being sombre and all ‘Christiany’?

I think it is time we start identifying ourselves with Jesus, not only in the ‘slap me on my left cheek, I will give you the right’ one but also how our Lord had endured so much and yet, dignified. We Christians are often trampled upon and unless we can learn how to deal with it like Jesus, we can’t really move forward.

So, yes, I thank you, Lord that glimpse of Yourself that I have failed to see.